TechPoint Foundation For Youth (TPF4Y) is thrilled to announce the proclamation of Indiana VEX Robotics State Championship Day with Mayor Joe Hogsett and the City of Indianapolis. Observance of this day is in celebration of the inaugural state championship event that will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday, March 10, 2018, and will be the largest robotics state championship in the country, gathering the top 300 Indiana teams from elementary, middle, and high schools across the state.

“We are excited about the unprecedented growth of robotics in Indiana,” said State Robotics Director, George Giltner. “It's unbelievable to think that in just two short years we have gone from 413 VEX teams in the state, to more than 1,300 - a 225% increase - and now we have robots taking over Lucas Oil Stadium. As you can imagine, this is exciting progress for TechPoint Foundation for Youth because we know these increased numbers mean more kids doing more hands-on, inspirational STEM at school.”

This growth in the number of Indiana VEX Robotics teams is attributed to the State Robotics Initiative, a comprehensive grant program developed by TPF4Y with initial funding from partners such as Indiana Department of Workforce Development, Guggenheim Life and Annuity, Herbert Simon Family Foundation, and long time partners Roche Diagnostics and Eli Lilly and Company Foundation. Since 2016, TPF4Y has provided grants, professional development, and now, the largest state robotics competition in the country for Indiana schools and students.

Mayor Joe Hogsett also emphasized the importance of the event: “With a scale that is unmatched across the country, the Indiana VEX Robotics State Championship provides educational opportunities to hundreds of students from across the state. It is an honor to host this event at Lucas Oil Stadium right here in Indianapolis – a city whose nationally-recognized culture of innovation is propelling our growth and success,” said the Mayor.

In addition to celebrating the City of Indianapolis’ observation of Indiana VEX Robotics State Championship Day on March 10th, TPF4Y is also announcing the expansion of the State Robotics Initiative during the 2018-19 school year to serve not only elementary schools across the state, but also eligible middle schools through 2020. TPF4Y will continue to rely on the generosity of its public, corporate, and philanthropic partners to bring this impactful STEM program to Indiana students.

"We are thrilled to see the growth of VEX Competitions in Indiana,” said Dan Mantz, CEO of the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation, which oversees all VEX Competition teams and events. "We value the visionary leaders across the state who partner to increase students’ STEM engagement through VEX Competitions and look forward to seeing the impact of the middle school expansion.”

The Indiana VEX Robotics State Championship is free and open to the public and will include an interactive STEM Fair featuring hands-on activities hosted by local and national companies, institutes of higher education, and community partners who are inspiring the next generation of Indiana STEM talent. To learn more, visit the event webpage.

About the State Robotics Initiative, a program of TechPoint Foundation for YouthThe State Robotics Initiative was developed by TPF4Y to provide a hands-on, STEM learning experience to Indiana students through an economical, entry level robotics platform proven to engage diverse student populations in comprehensive STEM subject matter and spur student interest in STEM college and career pathways. The program was developed in 2016 as a statewide expansion of the City Of Indianapolis VEX Robotics grant program, a legacy of former Mayor Greg Ballard. For more information, please visit www.TechPointYouth.org/robots.

About TechPoint Foundation For YouthAs the leader in technology education efforts for the state of Indiana since 2001, TechPoint Foundation for Youth is committed to inspiring our state's underserved K-12 students to explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). And to us, that means connecting ideas, investments, industry, and individuals to exemplary programs that inspire students to pursue careers in STEM fields. For more information, please visitwww.TechPointYouth.org.

Since August 2014, TPF4Y has hosted 1-3 VISTA members each year who have dedicated their time to the growth and sustainability of our programs. Our VISTAs are an invaluable asset to the work we do and many of our successes, as well as the improvements and changes we continue to implement, are a direct result of their work!

TPF4Y is looking for three new VISTAs to start in June 2018 and help us to grow our impact. Our VISTAs play a key role in ensuring that underserved students continue to have access to experiential STEM learning opportunities. Check out the positions below and share with your network! We can’t wait to welcome these three new members to our team:

This VISTA member will expand and strengthen TPF4Y’s math and science programs including STEM Partners, Math Pentathlon, and more. This position will play a key role in maintaining relationships with schools, volunteers, and community partners. This VISTA will also assist with the implementation of our volunteer development plan and help develop a sustainability plan!

This VISTA member will be in charge of expanding our CoderDojo Indiana initiative with the support of our Program Manager. He or she will identify new program sites, recruit and train volunteers, and assist with the creation and distribution of new training materials for CoderDojo “Champions.” An outgoing, talkative individual with great people skills and the ability to speak to groups will excel in this role.

This VISTA member will help us to grow and maintain our State Robotics Initiative (SRI) as the number of VEX IQ robotics teams in Indiana reaches 1,000+! SRI has provided hundreds of Indiana elementary schools with VEX IQ robotics kits over the past two years. This VISTA will help to manage a diversity grant and inclusion program, assist with external communication to robotics educators and partners, and work to develop strategies to sustain the growth of youth robotics in Indiana.

AmeriCorps VISTA members live and serve in some of our nation's poorest urban and rural areas. With passion, commitment, and hard work, they create or expand programs designed to bring individuals and communities out of poverty. Want to learn more about becoming a VISTA? Visit the AmeriCorps VISTA FAQ page.

Powderkeg is pleased to announce that it has selected CoderDojo Indiana, an initiative of TechPoint Foundation for Youth, as the recipient of its end-of-year event donation. For the past several years, Powderkeg has chosen to support a local or global nonprofit by donating a percentage of every ticket sold to their final pitch night of the year. This year, Powderkeg donated $10 of every ticket sold to their Holiday Pitch Night, which took place on Tuesday, December 12th at the HI-FI, for a donation of $1,890. Powderkeg asked their community to help them select the beneficiary this year, tapping them to submit recommendations for the causes they are most passionate about.

“We’re so grateful to be able to support the work that CoderDojo is doing to advance computer programming education in Indiana and around the world,” said Matt Hunckler, CEO of Powderkeg. “Our members are changing the world with their innovative companies, and we know that one of the best ways to make an impact is to engage our communities locally. The Powderkeg movement started right here in Indianapolis and it’s important to us to support programs like CoderDojo Indiana that make our home city great.”

Powderkeg’s donation has been generously matched by local transportation tech company DoubleMap, increasing the total donation to $3,780.

Final Powderkeg pitch night of 2017, which took place at the HI-FI.

“CoderDojo Indiana plays an important role in our community by introducing programming to young people at an influential time in their lives,” said Ilya Rekhter, Co-Founder & CEO at DoubleMap. “DoubleMap is proud to join Powderkeg in supporting CoderDojo Indiana, and we invite other companies to join us in supporting computer science education in our state.”

This year’s recipient, CoderDojo Indiana (CDI), is a regional partnership that supports and funds free computer science education for Indiana kids. CoderDojo was founded in 2011 in Ireland by tech entrepreneur Bill Liao and aspiring developer James Whelton. Earlier this year, Powderkeg hosted a fireside chat with Bill, where he spoke to more than 200 people about the incredible growth of the CoderDojo movement in Indiana and his thoughts on the importance of coding clubs for kids.

CoderDojo coding clubs engage kids ages 7-17 in hands-on games and activities that get them excited about computer science and inspire them to consider tech or development career paths. Since 2015, the number of CoderDojos in Indiana has grown from four clubs in central Indiana to 37 clubs around the state; Indiana is now the state with the largest number of CoderDojos in the country.

“TechPoint Foundation for Youth is proud of the rapid growth and popularity of the CoderDojo Indiana initiative,” said Laura Dodds, Executive Director of TPF4Y. “Introducing students to basic coding concepts through exciting activities with the support of adult volunteers allows students to not only accelerate their interest in computer science, but also introduces them to adults who have careers in that field.”

During Computer Science Education Week, which ran from December 4th - 8th, CDI engaged 177 volunteers to facilitate Hour of Code activities for 1,200 students. This is the fourth year that TechPoint Foundation for Youth has orchestrated Hour of Code during CS Ed Week, increasing impact each year. Five schools from IPS and Pike Township hosted volunteers throughout the week and activities ranged in subject from Minecraft to Angry Birds.

CDI provides Indiana Dojos with grant opportunities and trainings, and hosts events for volunteers and students. The second annual CoderDojo Indiana Hackathon will take place on Saturday, July 28, 2018, and is open to any students looking to learn more about computer science. For more information on this event and to receive registration details when they become available, please visit http://bit.ly/CDIHackSignUp2018.

TPF4Y board member and DeveloperTown employee Jon Nolen works with a student at IPS School #55.

The week of December 4th - 8th, CoderDojo Indiana, a TPF4Y initiative, facilitated Hour of Code at five IPS and Pike Township schools in order to celebrate Computer Science Education Week for the fourth year in a row. CS Ed Week is a worldwide, grassroots campaign to encourage as many K-12 students as possible (over 497 million so far!) to participate in an Hour of Code activity. Students around the globe are encouraged to try their hand at coding by completing one of Code.org’s introductory activities. We invited the students we worked with to try CodeCombat (for middle schoolers) and Minecraft or Angry Birds (for elementary schoolers).

Students work together on an Hour of Code activity.

"Technology and coding are lacing their way through more and more of our lives every day," said volunteer Nick Birch of PropelUp. "Our kids are growing up as part of a generation where understanding the basics of coding, the language of computers, will be as important as understanding spoken language between humans. Learning to code will open doors for these kids that don't even yet exist."

TPF4Y partnered with Harshman Magnet Middle School, IPS Schools #14, #15, #55, and New Augusta Public Academy South to expose students to the world of computer science. Some of the students had experienced Hour of Code in the past, while it was a new experience for others.

"I'm so thankful I was able to spend some of my work week helping kids at my local neighborhood school learn to code," said volunteer Amanda Brinkman of Appirio. "It's amazing what the Indy community is doing to help bridge the skill gap for future generations. Thanks to CoderDojo Indiana for organizing & Appirio for the VTO!"

Salesforce employee Will Brooks answers a question for a student.

Thanks to over 170 volunteers provided by multiple corporate partners, we were able to impact more than 1,200 students over the course of the week.

"We are so proud of the growth we've seen with our Hour of Code efforts," said Courtney Lambert, Program Manager for TPF4Y. "Combined, we've introduced 3,111 students to coding activities over the past four years, just during CS Ed Week. And we're looking forward to continuing to grow our reach next year."

While Hour of Code has wrapped up for this year, our CoderDojo Indiana initiative is always looking for dedicated volunteers passionate about bringing computer science to underserved students. Currently, there are 37 CoderDojos in Indiana and we are in need of volunteers at several clubs in Indianapolis as well as throughout the state. If you are interested in learning more about volunteering at a CoderDojo club, please complete this form and we'll contact you with more information!

THANKS TO OUR 2017 HOUR OF CODE PARTNERS:

TPF4Y kicked off our 4th annual #GivingTuesday on November 28th with holiday cheer, plenty of beer, and a couple rounds of trivia! This year, we partnered with Sun King Brewing Company to host simultaneous trivia nights:

90s Trivia at their downtown headquarters

The Office Trivia at their Fishers-based taproom

Eighteen teams participated in the fun and Sun King donated $1 from every pint sold to TPF4Y!

Thanks to our trivia participants and generous donors, we more than doubled our $2,500 goal, raising a total of $5,830 to support access to high-impact STEM programming for Indiana students!

#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Observed on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving.

#GivingTuesday harnesses the collective power of a group of individuals within the community to encourage and amplify small acts of kindness.

TechPoint Foundation for Youth is pleased to announce the winners of the EnablINg STEM Fall 2017 Grant Cycle, which was open to all Indiana kindergarten through 8th grade classroom teachers in schools with a free and reduced price lunch percentage of 55% or greater. This competitive grant program provides grant dollars to teachers to support the purchase of supplies and equipment that enhance science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum in the classroom. Applications were evaluated based on their ability to implement hands-on, project-based STEM programming, while also focusing on the use of resources that could extend beyond the school year, had clearly defined outcomes, and had an emphasis on student STEM engagement.

The following 54 teacher projects from 28 Indiana communities were selected from among 119 applications to receive up to $500 in grant dollars totaling nearly $25,000 in funding from this grant cycle:

Emmalena Rios, St. John Bosco

Jamie Paino, Claypool Elementary School

Tricia Sederholm, Peru Junior High School

Matthew Geiger, 10th Street Elementary School

Jon Metz, Harshman Magnet Middle School

Terry Ward, Frankton Elementary School

Michelle Smelser, Mary Castle Elementary

Angela Weeks, Deer Meadow Primary

Rebeccah Dyer, Henry W. Longfellow Medical STEM Middle School

Sarah Dunham, Elwood Intermediate School

Miranda Figert, Acron Elementary School

Chi Chi Bardell, Montessori Garden Academy

Jacqueline Scott, Hayden Elementary School

Sarah Archer, Chapelwood Elementary School

Rachel Nesbit, Blue Academy

Tracy Nicodemus, Hay Primary Center

Amy Hartung, Pleasant Run Elementary School

Leigh Barnes, John Simatovich Elementary School

Marjorie Alberson, Willard Elementary School

Amanda Moore, Sunny Heights Elementary School

Emily Brooks, Pleasant Hill Elementary School

Jordan Weldon, Sunnyside Elementary School

Jeremy Hughes, Hayden Elementary School

Cynthia Fish, Liberty Elementary School

Roza Selvey, Southside Middle School

Jane Jones, Thomas Jefferson Elementary School

Kara Sedam, Canaan Community Academy

Carol Blake, Laurel School

Shannon Hudson, Crawfordsville Middle School

Jillian Gudenschwager, Flint Lake Elementary School

Apryl Kidd, Hatfield Elementary School

Jennifer McGillem, North Wayne Elementary School

Allison Case, Bridgeport

Tonya Wass, Austin Elementary School

Kendra Guerrero, Pleasant Run Elementary School

Shannon Howell, Alexandria Monroe Intermediate School

Amy Mihalich, Cold Spring School

Jennifer Bartram, Webb Elementary School

Bryan Beeler, Milan Middle School

XaViera Ellinger, Montessori Garden Academy

April Wolf, Dayton Elementary School

Trisha Montgomery, Cold Spring School

Angela Hale, Meredith Nicholson Elementary School

Jackie Secrest, Northeast North Academy

Dave Shafer, Skiles Test School of STEM

Sherri Barnes, Guion Creek Elementary School

Katherine Brown, Guion Creek Elementary School

Beth Walenga, Lincoln Elementary School

David Nelson, Indian Creek Elementary School

Matthew Perkins, H. L. Harshman Magnet Middle School

Jamie Boxler, Monon Trail Elementary School

Sue DeLong, Clinton Prairie Elementary School

Ruthann Copeland, Cold Spring School

Shannon Shrader, Taylor Elementary School

Chosen projects ranged in topic from shark dissections and Rube Goldberg projects, to gardening and makerspaces. Teachers could request between $75 and $500 per project, with the majority of grantees receiving between $400 and $500.

Thanks to a $10,000 matching donation from Angie’s List Foundation and the generosity of the attendees at this year’s TechPoint Mira Awards Gala for funding this round of classroom projects!

WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 10, 2017) – This morning, US2020, in collaboration with Co-Founding Sponsors Chevron and Tata Consultancy Services, announced the winners of the 2017 STEM Mentoring Awards. At the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C., US2020 will recognize the award winners for their exceptional work in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) mentoring.

The STEM Mentoring Awards & Symposium is a national field-building event that will engage leaders from the public, private, and social sectors. Attendees will discuss policies and practices to institutionalize STEM mentoring, explore exemplary program models and common challenges, and learn about the launch of US2020’s new national challenge designed to catalyze cross-sector partnerships that increase the quantity and quality of STEM volunteerism and maker-centered learning across the country.

“The iDEW program specifically addresses diversity in computing in the STEM fields by implementing innovative curricular and co-curricular activities throughout a four-year high school program. Our early data already shows the huge impact of iDEW, as most of the graduates of the program are pursuing two-year and four-year college degrees in STEM areas,” said iDEW Program Director and School of Informatics and Computing Executive Associate Dean Mathew J. Palakal.

Momentum in the field was evident as over 150 organizations participated in this year’s award series. “We are thrilled to see the variety and quality of organizations and companies submitting applications to the 2017 STEM Mentoring Awards,” said Nick Hutchinson, Executive Director of US2020. “Quality, skills-based mentorship is uniquely positioned to address the barriers to STEM access and achievement and has been shown to provide academic and emotional benefits for students, particularly at-risk youth.”

President Obama issued a call to action, illuminating the need to engage more STEM professionals as mentors at the 2013 White House Science Fair. US2020 answered that call with their City Competition, which challenged communities to develop plans to increase the scale and quality of mentorship between professionals working in STEM and students underrepresented in those fields. Fifty-two cities from across the U.S. applied, with seven selected as winning cities; Indianapolis was one of them.

As the coalition lead for the City of Indianapolis, TechPoint Foundation for Youth (TPF4Y) has been managing the initiative since it launched in August 2014, with the help of more than 50 corporate, community, and program partners. During the past three years of the initiative, TPF4Y has engaged almost 400 volunteers in hands-on STEM programs impacting more than 2,300 Indianapolis students.

“The STEM Mentoring Awards are a wonderful way to further recognize the important work being done by the US2020 City Network and our multitude of partners,” said Laura Dodds, Executive Director of TechPoint Foundation for Youth. “The iDEW program’s targeted focus on engaging diverse student populations is something that resonates both with our Foundation’s mission and with the needs of our state’s talent pipeline. We are so proud that they have been recognized on the national stage for their important work.”

The third annual US2020 STEM Mentoring Awards included five award categories. Applications were evaluated by a cross-sector panel of distinguished judges. This year’s winners are:

About Indiana University School of Informatics and Computing at IUPUI: The Indiana University School of Informatics and Computing is the first school of its kind in the nation, connecting people to information and transforming the way they work, live, and play. Our school’s unique interdisciplinary approach, innovative degree programs, world-class faculty, and inclusive environment prepare students for careers that will shape the future of information technology and computing. We are committed to building a smarter IT workforce through programs in human-centered computing, bio-health informatics, library science, data science, and media arts and science.

About TechPoint Foundation for Youth: TechPoint Foundation for Youth is committed to inspiring our state's underserved K-12 students to explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). We believe that our youth should be equipped to address Indiana's growing demand for a skilled workforce. www.techpointyouth.org

Did you know that Indiana employers estimate that there are 2.5 jobs available for every 1 STEM-skilled job seeker? By next year, there will be 1.2 million unfilled jobs nationally in the STEM workforce. Rapidly growing fields like Software Development, Computers Systems Analytics, & Engineering are creating far more jobs than there are job-seekers with the skill-set to fill them.

Here at TechPoint Foundation for Youth, our focus is to ensure Indiana's K-12 students have access to learning opportunities that will inspire the pursuit of STEM careers. Our programs remove the barriers which result in students’ loss of interest in STEM and lack of understanding of existing career opportunities.

The Robot Pirates of Parkwood Elementary School gather around the field before a match.

One of our fastest growing programs, the State Robotics Initiative (SRI) provides elementary schools the resources needed to launch a robotics program, including a VEX IQ Robotics Kit, teacher training, and ongoing support for sustainability. Robotics teaches young students valuable STEM skills and develops crucial 21st Century workforce qualities such as collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, and communication. Additionally, robotics offers opportunities to students who aren’t necessarily interested in more conventional, and readily available, extracurricular activities like athletics or the arts.

The first year of the SRI was highly successful! The number of Indiana VEX IQ elementary teams grew from 70 to over 500 teams, reaching more than 5,000 Indiana students who had not previously been exposed to robotics! It was a fantastic first year, but our work is not done. There are still more than 800 elementary schools across the state who have not taken advantage of this unique opportunity. We want to be certain that the leadership within Indiana schools understands that robotics is just as valuable (and just as fun!) as offering athletics or fine arts. If every school district offers athletics and fine arts why not also offer competitive STEM opportunities for their students?

In May, we challenged Indiana superintendents to take the “Robotics Pledge”, making robotics education accessible to EVERY elementary school in their district with the help of our SRI grant. We recently spoke with the superintendent of Greater Clark County Schools, Dr. Andrew T. Melin, who is championing robotics in his district by ensuring that all twelve of the corporation’s elementary schools are providing robotics programs. Here is what Dr. Melin had to say when asked why he thinks it is important that 100% of his elementary schools offer robotics programs:

Teams from all elementary schools in Greater Clark County gathered for a scrimmage in February 2017.

“Our elementary students gained invaluable skill development in terms of critical-thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork at the VEX IQ robotics competitions. The great value of VEX Robotics is that students are involved in STEM learning without realizing it because it is fun and engaging. It gives students who are primarily academically focused a chance to participate in a team environment. It was so exciting and meaningful, that we thought all of our elementary schools would benefit from participating.”

When asked about Greater Clark’s goals going forward, Dr. Melin stated, “We want students to use our academic skills’ focus on reading, writing, and math along with our PRIDE career skills of Persistence, Respectfulness, Initiative, Dependability, and Efficiency to apply their learning, to work collaboratively, and to enjoy the experience.”

Blue Dots = Schools with VEX IQ teams

Robots = Districts with a robotics team in every Elementary School

Greater Clark County isn’t the only district in the state to commit to making robotics accessible to all elementary students. MSD Decatur Township, Lake Ridge New Tech Schools, Frankton-Lapel Community Schools, and East Noble School Corporation have also received grants for 100% of the elementary schools in each of their districts.

Do you have what it takes to be a developer? We're giving central Indiana kids a chance to find out!

CoderDojo Indiana (CDI), an initiative of TechPoint Foundation for Youth, is excited to host its inaugural hackathon, which, if you aren't familiar with the term, is an event where a group of people come together to engage in collaborative computer programming!

In this case, we're talking about a group of kids joining us at DeveloperTown (just south of Broad Ripple) on Saturday, July 22, 2017, to participate in all kinds of fun activities! Students will have a chance to test their skills (and learn some new ones!) by completing coding challenges in two programming languages: Python and Scratch. While the event targets student participants (ie: ninjas!) from CoderDojo clubs throughout Indiana, anyone is welcome to attend - no experience required!

The day will begin with opening ceremonies at 10am followed by a 5 hour challenge period. During the challenge period, students will be able to earn points by completing different coding challenges - the more difficult the challenge, the more points they can earn! During lunch, students will also have a chance to interact with some exciting hands-on exhibitors. The day will conclude with awards and prizes.

While it's FREE to participate, you must register at cdihackathon.eventbrite.com by Wednesday, July 19th in order to reserve your spot!

At the start of last summer, 15 CoderDojo clubs existed in Indiana, mostly located around Indianapolis and supported by the city’s thriving technology sector. Thanks to a partnership between Eleven Fifty Academy and TechPoint Foundation for Youth, that narrative is changing. There are now more than 30 CoderDojo clubs in communities throughout Indiana, with sites in 3 additional communities expected to launch by September 2017. The movement’s footprint has grown from just shy of 100 students to 450+, and we're excited to continue that growth in the years to come, giving all students access to high impact computer science programs!

A student from Grassy Creek Elementary School shows off a LEGO design from her classroom project.

INDIANAPOLIS (June 14, 2017) — TechPoint Foundation for Youth is thrilled to announce that it has exceeded its $30,000 fundraising goal to support the EnablINg STEM Teacher Grant program. Thanks to a $10,000 matching donation from Angie’s List Foundation and the generosity of the attendees at this year’s TechPoint Mira Awards Gala, the funds will support 60 classroom projects designed to enhance science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) curriculum.

This competitive grant, which is open to all Indiana kindergarten through 8th grade classroom teachers in schools with a free and reduced price lunch percentage of 55% or greater, provides grant dollars to teachers to support the purchase of supplies and equipment that reinforce STEM curriculum in the classroom. Applications are evaluated based on their ability to implement hands-on, project-based STEM programming, while also focusing on the use of resources that could extend beyond the school year, and have an emphasis on student STEM engagement.

Students from East Side Elementary School in Edinburgh perform a hands-on science experiment in their classroom.

“We know that our state’s great teachers far too often pay for classroom supplies out of their own pockets,” said Laura Dodds, TechPoint Foundation for Youth Executive Director. “By supplementing school supply budgets, this grant makes it possible for students to explore exciting STEM curriculum in a hands-on way and allows teachers to be creative, while also helping to reduce the amount of money teachers are spending.”

Students from Spring Mill Elementary School play with their HexBug kits.

Since 2013, grants have been awarded to 65 teachers throughout Indiana, with projects impacting over 15,000 low-income students. However, as the grant has grown in popularity, it has been harder to keep up with demand, as qualified teacher applications have outnumbered the funding available to support the projects.

This latest fundraising campaign has resulted in the largest grant fund available to teachers since the grant opened thanks to the support of our partners at Angie’s List Foundation, TechPoint, and a generous anonymous donation that followed the 2017 Mira Awards Gala in April.

Students from West Newton Elementary School on the south side of Indianapolis show of their classroom projects.

While the grant is currently closed, applications are accepted for spring and fall grant cycles, with the next cycle opening on August 7th to support Fall 2017 projects.

To learn more about the EnablINg STEM Teacher Grant and to apply when the next cycle opens, please visit the EnablINg STEM Grants page or follow us on social media.

INDIANAPOLIS (June 13, 2017) - The Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundation recently inducted TechPoint Foundation for Youth (TPY) and the Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) into the STEM Hall of Fame as the 2017 Partner of the Year. The honor was given at the VEX Robotics World Championship, held at the Kentucky Exposition Center.

The REC Foundation defines STEM Hall of Fame Partner of the Year recipients as “well-recognized and respected organizations with vision, products, and services aligned with the fields of science, engineering, and technology, and with personnel that represent a valued spectrum of knowledge and talent across STEM.” TPY and DWD join the ranks of previous inductees including NASA, Texas Instruments, Project Lead The Way, Autodesk and others.

An Indiana student at a VEX IQ Challenge competition.

“The explosive growth of VEX Robotics teams in Indiana over the last year is a direct reflection of the progressive vision of STEM leaders in the state, and specifically, the combined efforts of Indiana’s Department of Workforce Development and the staff at TechPoint Foundation for Youth,” said Jason Morrella, President of the REC Foundation.

In Spring 2016, in partnership with the REC Foundation, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development and TechPoint Foundation for Youth expanded the successful City of Indianapolis VEX Robotics Competition model started by Former Mayor Greg Ballard statewide, with a focus on providing equal access to high impact STEM learning opportunities for all Indiana students.

“Indiana is always looking forward for ways to bridge the gap of workforce supply and industry demand. We know that robotics engages diverse student populations in comprehensive STEM subject matter that has been proven to spur interest in STEM college and career pathways,” said DWD Commissioner Steve Braun. “This program is going to make a real difference for Indiana students and employers, and we are honored to be recognized for this work alongside our partners at TechPoint Foundation for Youth.”

One year after expansion, the State Robotics Initiative has impacted thousands of students, with the number of competing elementary school teams skyrocketing from just over 70 to more than 500 teams in Indiana. At the recent VEX Robotics World Championship, 29 of Indiana’s elementary VEX IQ Challenge teams - more than any other state - were invited to compete with peers from over 30 countries around the world. Recent feedback and evaluations from Indiana teachers and participants has reinforced the impact the initiative is having on students.

“Our partnership with DWD kicked off the State Robotics Initiative and we are thrilled that we have been able to introduce this innovative platform to so many Indiana students,” said Executive Director Laura Dodds. “We’ve had teachers share that this experience has encouraged their most reserved female students to find a voice, another sharing that their students are already beginning to look at colleges with robotics programs. It’s been rewarding to be a part of such an impactful partnership and we are beyond thrilled to be recognized now as a member of the STEM Hall of Fame alongside so many other great organizations.”

TechPoint Foundation for Youth recently kicked off the second year of the State Robotics Initiative with 400 more robotics grants available for Indiana elementary schools and out-of-school providers who don’t already have a VEX IQ Challenge team. To learn more about the robotics grant, how to apply, how you or your company can get involved, or to support a team in your area, visit www.techpointyouth.org/robots or email George@techpointyouth.org.

About REC Foundation: The REC Foundation seeks to increase student interest and involvement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by engaging students in hands-on, sustainable and affordable curriculum-based robotics engineering programs across the U.S. and internationally. The REC Foundation develops partnerships with K-12 education, higher education, government, industry, and the non-profit community to achieve this work. More information at: www.RoboticsEducation.org or www.RobotEvents.com.

About Indiana Department of Workforce Development: The Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) serves the worker and the employer to ensure workplace success. DWD is committed to innovating and invigorating Indiana’s economic future by providing WorkOne Career Centers, Unemployment Insurance, Labor Market Information, Regional Workforce Strategies and Professional Training. Through these services, DWD is able to develop a premier workforce that enables Indiana employers to flourish and entices businesses from outside our state to relocate to Indiana.

About TechPoint Foundation for Youth: TechPoint Foundation for Youth is committed to inspiring our state's underserved K-12 students to explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). We believe that our youth should be equipped to address Indiana's growing demand for a skilled workforce. www.techpointyouth.org

The 2nd annual All Girls FLL Challenge took place on Saturday, May 20th on IUPUI's campus and hosted almost 60 girls. Representing Avon, Bedford, Fort Wayne, Hobart, Indianapolis, Martinsville, West Lafayette, and Zionsville, 12 teams participated in this day-long, off-season event that focuses on boosting the confidence of females participating on robotics teams. The event was planned and hosted by an all-female steering committee comprised of staff from the Girl Scouts of Central Indiana, IndianaFIRST, the School of Informatics & Computing, and TechPoint Foundation for Youth.

Judges Ashley Looper & Katie Richmond pose with Ruby Roo.

Similarly to last year, the opening ceremonies were followed by three, 1-hour long sessions that allowed the girls to experience the virtual reality and media labs during a building tour with IUPUI students, practice with their robots to prepare for the afternoon's competition, and work together on this year's Sisterhood Activity.

The Sisterhood Award is based on the successful completion of the activity, which changes every year to reflect the FIRST LEGO League challenge. Since this year's challenge was Animal Allies, the steering committee wanted an activity that tied engineering and design concepts to animal welfare so we invited some guest judges to help us pull it off!

A team of girls works together to design their prosthetic concept for Ruby Roo.

Ruby Roo, a chihuahua born without her front legs, was the star of this year's Sisterhood Activity. The girls were charged with designing a prosthetic concept for Ruby that was not too heavy or too light or too cumbersome - all problems she's faced with past prosthetics. Her owner, former veterinary technician Ashley Looper, talked to the girls about various animal prosthetics while Katie Richmond, a certified prosthetist/orthotist at Prosthetic Solutions of Indiana, told them more about prosthetics for humans. After learning from our judges, the girls got to meet Ruby and then use craft supplies to create their own prosthetic designs. There were lots of exciting ideas!

After lunch, the teams presented their prosthetic ideas to Katie, Ashley, and Ruby in hopes of winning the Sisterhood Award, and participated in the Animal Allies robot competition in the auditorium.

At the end of the day, six total awards were presented to the most deserving teams for the following accomplishments:

Sisterhood Award: Hobart Brickies from HobartFor the Sisterhood Award, judges base their decision on the teamwork and core values exhibited during the sisterhood activity time, as well as the team's presentation of their finished invention. They look for a team that invented a clever product, but did so while displaying enthusiasm and support for the ideas of their fellow teammates.

Champion: Robo Saviors from MartinsvilleThe Champion Award is presented to the team with the highest score during the robot competition.

Runner Up: Gamer Girls - Narwahls from ZionsvilleThe Runner Up Award is presented to the team with the second highest score during the robot competition.

Robot Design Award: AME2 from IndianapolisFor the Robot Design Award, judges look for a team whose design work stands out. They evaluate mechanical design, innovation, programming effectiveness, and team strategies for solving missions to assess overall design quality. Judges also take into account how well the robot performs on the competition field

Creativity Award: Gamer Girls - Turtles from AvonFor the Creativity Award, judges look for a team whose effort and performance is unique from every other team. They base their decision on conversations and observations made throughout the day while they look for a team that displays creativity in every aspect of their work, from the design of their robot, to the presentation of their team, to the way they work together.

A girl-powered team of volunteers was instrumental in making the event a success!

Phoenix Award: The Thing That Moves from West LafayetteThe Phoenix Award is given to a team that displays a can-do attitude throughout the event, even when presented with disappointing challenges or problems. The judges look for a team that does not give up easily and is determined to persevere despite difficulties.

Congratulations to all our teams for a fabulous day of STEM learning & thanks to our volunteers for making this event possible!

The Grassy Creek Elementary School teams pose for a group photo at one of the seven events they competed in this season.

The kids on the VEX IQ teams at Grassy Creek Elementary School may be young, but they already have a good idea of what they want to be when they grow up. Answers range from scientist to dentist to the most popular answer, engineer, because, as one student said, "engineering is really fun."

With 19 kids split among three teams, the school has been to seven competitions this season and will be on their way to VEX IQ Worlds in Louisville next week, lead by their dedicated and energetic coaches, Dustin Ecker, Ryan Gammons, Andy Knies, and Capri Corwin. In speaking with the Grassy Creek coaches, you quickly understand why the students on this team are so excited about robotics. As Coach Ecker put it," we want the robotics program to ignite a passion for learning; our biggest goal is to build lifelong learners and problem-solvers in hopes that just maybe, these kids will be the future of engineering."

Although the students on all three of Grassy Creek's robotics teams - WolverineBots, BatBots, and HulkBots - are 1st year robotics competitors, each team has proven to be quite a force to be reckoned with. And robotics isn't all they do - most of the students participate in other activities like basketball, baseball, Math Bowl, Spell Bowl, soccer, lacrosse, jujitsu, and football - however, when schedules interfere, most students will choose robotics over other activities. As one 4th grader put it, "Robotics has more to offer than football. In football, you don't really use your brain that much."

These students are certainly using their collective brain power on the robot field, and the results have been impressive! Eli, Hannah, Jala, Jocelyn, Natalie, and Raylen, the six students making up the WolverineBots team, were crowned Teamwork Champions at four different competitions this year for their top ranked robot performance. This group of 3rd and 4th graders are well-spoken, respectful, and driven to succeed, with a straightforward approach to delegating roles for each team member.

One of the drawings Jocelyn did for the team's engineering notebook.

"I tried driving but realized I wasn't too good at it," said Jocelyn, who is a designer and researcher for the team. "But I like writing, drawing and presenting so I decided to be a researcher and make our robot sketches in our engineering notebook." Jocelyn joins Hanna as the primary researchers for the team. These two are absolutely essential to the team winning an Excellence Award earlier this year and receiving the opportunity to compete in all areas at Worlds. The Excellence Award is the top honor of each competition. These girls have worked tirelessly to put together a sound research project and develop a strong design notebook!

When it was time to decide on drive teams, Jala and Natalie became a driving duo, using practice time to hone their skills. Natalie's ability to quickly park and balance on the bridge and Jala's skills in driving and scoring led the two to formulate their winning strategy - Jala drives first, scoring as many points as possible, then hands off the controls so Natalie can seal the deal on the bridge before the final buzzer. There's also a second team of drivers for the Wolverines - Raylen and Eli - who naturally work well together as well. Raylen and Eli found their stride with driving and are an essential part of the many teamwork awards the Wolverines have won. These boys equally share driving rounds with Natalie and Jala and often alternate rounds during the qualifications rounds. These four know the teamwork challenge is a complete team effort and their support of one another is inspiring.

In the moment, the girls rely on one another's encouragement and coaching. "During the matches she reminds me what buttons to hit and gives me tips and advice," Jala says of Natalie's competition coaching. "Sometimes I even get mad because she's not telling me what to do! But we always make up really quickly as soon as the match is over."

Jala and Natalie driving their robot at IndyVRC. Photo by Ellie Sophia Photography

The team didn't start the season as the powerhouse they are now. Jala was quick to explain that they didn't even make it to the finals during their first competition, fueling them to watch the winning teams' robots and take notes so they could later modify their robot to make it better. At their second competition they made it into the finals, but still didn't place at the top, so it was back to the drawing board during practice. Finally, during their third competition of the season, they made it to the finals and were part of the winning alliance - ultimate success! It was an experience that taught them the real-world meaning of the mantra "if at first you don't succeed, try, try again." In fact, that mentality helped the girls compete and win during the final matches at the two biggest events in the state - in front of a HUGE audience and under a lot of pressure - the IndyVRC and the VEX IQ Elementary State Championship.

Jala and Natalie hold the Teamwork Champions trophy at the 2017 IndyVRC.

The kids on Wolverines, along with their friends on BatBot and HulkBot, have amassed 12 awards this year. This would not be possible with out the strengths that students from all teams bring to the group at Grassy Creek. The three teams have collaborated, shared ideas between teams, and provided practice and competition tips to one another for nearly 8 months.

Now the whole team needs to keep that mindset as they head off to Louisville, Kentucky, for the biggest competition of their short robotics careers: the VEX IQ Robotics World Championship. They'll be competing against 280 of the best teams from around the world, with over 30 countries represented. "Honestly, our goal for Worlds is simply to enjoy the opportunity,"explains Coach Ecker, "We are going there aiming to make the finals, place in the Top 20 if at all possible. However, we know that Worlds means the absolute best of the best. We are bound to have some incredible rounds but there's always a good chance that something will go terribly wrong at some point - and that's okay."

Although humble, the team seems ready. They even hosted additional practices during their school's spring break to prepare. But at the end of the day, win or lose, what will they do after the match?

TechPoint Foundation for Youth today announced a grant from Salesforce.org, the philanthropic arm of Salesforce, that will support science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programming for students typically underrepresented in today’s STEM fields.

As the leader in technology education efforts for Indiana since 2001, TechPoint Foundation for Youth (TPF4Y) is committed to inspiring the state’s K-12 students to explore STEM fields, with a focus on diversifying the STEM workforce pipeline through targeted outreach to underrepresented student populations. Three initiatives are currently managed by the foundation, including the City of Indianapolis’ US2020 program, CoderDojo Indiana, and the State Robotics Initiative. The Salesforce.org grant will support both the US2020 program and the CoderDojo Indiana initiative.

“Our goal is to help nonprofits and educational institutions better serve their communities and deliver on their mission,” said Ebony Frelix, SVP of Philanthropy & Engagement at Salesforce.org. “By supporting TechPoint Foundation for Youth’s exciting STEM initiatives, we hope to accelerate change and create a better tomorrow for the next generation.”

US2020, a national movement focused on increasing the number of STEM professionals serving as mentors, hosted its inaugural city competition in 2013 and announced Indianapolis as one of seven winning cities from among 52 applicants across the country. TPF4Y is the coalition lead for the City of Indianapolis and, with the support of more than 50 corporate and community partners, has connected over 1,500 students to more than 7,700 hours of hands-on STEM programs during the first 2.5 years of the initiative.

The most popular of Indianapolis’ US2020 programs, CoderDojo, is a coding club that allows students to explore the world of computer science (CS) through hands-on activities, games, and self-led projects. In June 2016, TPF4Y launched CoderDojo Indiana, in partnership with the CoderDojo Foundation, to increase access to free CS education for Hoosier students. On July 22, 2017, CoderDojo Indiana will host its inaugural Hackathon, inviting all of its Indianapolis student “ninjas,” as well as attendees from 19 additional CoderDojos throughout the state of Indiana, to participate in a daylong event filled with fun, competitive CS projects.

“Salesforce.org’s commitment to philanthropy and the Pledge 1% program is inspiring,” said Laura Dodds, Executive Director of TechPoint Foundation for Youth. “We are thrilled to put their investment to work for thousands of K-12 students.”

TPF4Y welcomes the support of additional volunteers interested in facilitating CoderDojo clubs as well as other STEM programs like robotics teams and science clubs. If you or your company are interested in making a positive impact on students in your community, contact Volunteer@TechPointYouth.org for more information.

About TechPoint Foundation For YouthIn its 16th year as the leader in technology education efforts for the state of Indiana, TechPoint Foundation for Youth is committed to providing our state’s K-12 students, especially those typically underrepresented in STEM industry, with equal opportunities to explore hands-on STEM learning opportunities. We believe that Indiana’s youth should be not only equipped to address the growing demand for a skilled STEM workforce, but also be inspired to do so. We have been, and continue to be, the leader in connecting youth serving organizations, STEM programs, and STEM industry for the benefit of Indiana’s student populations. We are Growing Indiana’s Future. Visit www.TechPointYouth.org for more information.

About Salesforce.orgSalesforce.org is a nonprofit social enterprise with a mission to empower its community of stakeholders to accelerate impact in a whole new way. It impacts thousands of organizations and the millions of people they serve by delivering the world’s best nonprofit and educational technology solutions at affordable rates. It also inspires employee giving by matching their donations and driving volunteer engagement in the community. And it leverages a unique self-sustaining model to generously re-invest the revenue generated back into the community through strategic grants focused on education and workforce development.

Since 1999, Salesforce technology has powered more than 31,000 nonprofit and education institutions; Salesforce and its philanthropic entities have provided more than $160 million in grants; and Salesforce employees have logged more than 2 million volunteer hours around the world.

Salesforce, Salesforce.org and others are among the trademarks of salesforce.com, inc. Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

On February 25th, more than 95 robotics teams from 38 cities around Indiana competed in the Indiana VEX IQ Elementary State Championship hosted by the State Robotics Initiative. The competition took place at the Campus Center at IUPUI with over 1,500 spectators in attendance.

The State Robotics Initiative (SRI) launched in 2016 as an expansion of the successful IndyVRC program begun in 2013 by then Mayor Greg Ballard. A partnership between the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, TechPoint Foundation for Youth, Project Lead The Way (PLTW), and Ivy Tech Community College drives the initiative with the goal of bringing robotics to every school in the state of Indiana, beginning with our youngest Hoosiers.

Photo by Ellie Sophia Photography

With significant seed funding secured from Guggenheim Life and Annuity and support from long-time robotics funders USA Funds, Roche Diagnostics and Eli Lilly and Company, the number of elementary VEX IQ robotics teams in Indiana grew 600% during the 2016-17 school year. In 2016, 443 VEX IQ robotics teams were started in 198 cities and towns across Indiana as a result of grants provided by the State Robotics Initiative. Participating schools received robotics kits, registration fees, teacher professional development, and PLTW classroom activities to incorporate robotics during the school day.

Indiana has become a national leader in robotics education for elementary students and is now home to a grand total of 518 VEX IQ elementary teams, 96 of which qualified to compete at the State Championship. The 26 winning teams from State will now move on to the World Competition in Louisville, Kentucky, on April 23-25, 2017. Indiana’s qualifying teams will compete there against 275 teams from more than 20 countries to take home some of the most coveted awards in youth robotics.

In addition to the championship, TechPoint Foundation for Youth hosted the 4th annual interactive STEM fair with more than 20 booths and over 500 students in attendance. The free event was open to the community and allowed students to experience hands-on, interactive science, math, and technology activities.

State Championship award winners

To learn more about the Statewide Robotics Initiative, visit the their webpage.

On January 7th and 8th, 162 teams of students from around Marion County competed in the 5th Annual City of Indianapolis VEX Robotics Championship (IndyVRC). The competition was held in Nicoson Hall at the University of Indianapolis.

The first IndyVRC featured only 36 high school teams but demonstrated the possibilities of a robust, hands-on STEM education program. Now in its fifth year, the event has grown to more than 160 teams from elementary, middle, and high schools who compete for scholarships to Rose-Hulman, IUPUI, and University of Indianapolis, plus internships, advancement to the state finals, and the competition's top honor: the Ballard Excellence Award, renamed last year in recognition of Former Mayor Greg Ballard's contribution to STEM education in Indianapolis.

Photo by Ellie Sophia Photography

The IndyVRC’s success led to the newly formed Statewide Robotics Initiative, spearheaded by TechPoint Foundation for Youth with major support from funders and partners like Guggenheim Life and Annuity, Indiana Department of Workforce Development, Herbert Simon Family Foundation, Project Lead The Way, USA Funds, Eli Lilly and Company, and Roche Diagnostics. The two-year initiative will supply grants to 800 elementary schools throughout Indiana, giving them a robotics kit, teacher training, classroom activities, program support, and high intensity compeititons.

Photo by Ellie Sophia Photography

“Seeing so many Indiana students with access to a robotics team is truly a realization of Former Mayor Ballard’s dream when he first initiated the IndyVRC back in 2013,” said Laura Dodds, Executive Director of TechPoint Foundation for Youth. “The event started as a way to get robots into the hands of all Marion County students, and inspired an initiative that could expand that goal to all Hoosiers.”

Photo by Ellie Sophia Photography

Indianapolis is home to companies in need of a workforce skilled in advanced manufacturing, robotics, and technology, but the education pipeline from grade school to employment is often lacking. The IndyVRC was launched five years ago to accelerate the development of high-quality K-12 educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and help bridge the gap between workforce readiness and employer need. The Statewide Robotics Initiative is continuing to grow this concept on a larger scale, using the same IndyVRC model but starting at the elementary school level with the hope of working up the education ladder.

“The State Robotics Initiative was made possible after a huge kickstart from our partners at Department of Workforce Development and Guggenheim Life and Annuity,” said George Giltner, State Director of Robotics at TechPoint Foundation for Youth. “This initiative has catapulted Indiana into the position of a STEM education leader in our country, with more VEX elementary robotics teams than any other state, and we look forward to seeing how this impacts our future workforce.”

The VEX IQ State Championship is coming up on Saturday, February 25th and is still in need of volunteers - often with no experience required! To look at available positions and sign up, click here.

This year's IndyVRC was a huge success! Here's a look at the event by the numbers...

Three students at Sidener Academy work together on an Hour of Code activity.

Last week, TPF4Y facilitated Hour of Code at three Indianapolis Public Schools in order to celebrate Computer Science Education Week for the third year in a row. CS Ed Week is a worldwide, grassroots campaign to encourage as many K-12 students as possible (with over 323 million served so far!) to participate in an Hour of Code activity. Students around the globe are encouraged to try their hand at coding by completing one of Code.org’s introductory activities. We invited the students we worked with to try CodeCombat (for middle schoolers) and Disney's Moana: Wayfinding with Code (for elementary schoolers).

A student at IPS School #51 is excited to start the Moana Hour of Code activity.

On Monday, December 5th, and Wednesday, December 7th, TPF4Y partnered with Harshman Magnet Middle School, IPS School #51, and Sidener Academy to expose students to the world of computer science. Some of the students had experienced Hour of Code in the past, while it was a new experience for others.

"Seeing the students gain confidence in their coding skills as they completed each exercise was awesome," said Lindsay Siovaila, a Salesforce employee and co-founder of Girl Develop It - Indianapolis. "In just a short time, these students began to build better problem solving and reasoning skills, and it was cool to be a part of that and help inspire the next generation of computer scientists!"

Lindsay Siovaila, co-founder of Girl Develop It - Indianapolis, works with students on an Hour of Code activity.

Thanks to over 100 volunteers provided by several corporate partners, we were able to impact almost 1,200 IPS students over the course of two days. Our efforts were even featured on Inside Indiana Business with an article and quick video. Click here to check it out.

While Hour of Code has wrapped up for this year, our CoderDojo Indiana initiative is always looking for dedicated volunteers passionate about bringing computer science to underserved students. Currently, there are 20 CoderDojos in Indiana and we are in need of volunteers at several clubs in Indianapolis as well as throughout the state. If you are interested in learning more about volunteering at a CoderDojo club, please complete this form and we'll contact you with more information!

THanks to our Hour of Code partners:

Tiffany White joined Rolls-Royce after graduating from Purdue University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical - Astronautical Engineering, and has spent 22 years contributing to the propulsion system solutions for more than ten different kinds of aircraft. Currently one of seven Chief Project Engineers in the helicopter business, Tiffany is truly an exemplary woman in STEM.

Tiffany's career path started when, as a junior in high school, she took physics and loved it, even after her mom lovingly suggested that it might be too hard and her uncle told her she couldn't be an engineer because she was a girl. While at first physics did prove difficult, she was able to see the practical applications of the lessons almost immediately. Not a particularly strong player when her church youth group would play pool, the game suddenly made sense and her skills increased when some of her homework used pool balls at the basis of the problems. Her teacher encouraged her to look at engineering careers, and with the popularity of the space shuttle program in the news, she was inspired by the Challenger tragedy in 1986 to improve the safety and ensure the longevity of space travel. In fact, the poster of the Challenger on its launch pad that hung in her dorm room in college is framed and hangs in her office to this day.

Rolls-Royce engineers collaborate over an M250 engine.

Tiffany's earliest roles at Rolls-Royce were in project engineering at the "whole engine" level, which provided her with a broad understanding of gas turbine propulsion. Feeling she lacked any deep functional knowledge, she transferred into control systems, where she spent 10 years becoming an expert on how to control engines while honing her leadership skills with a masters degree in program management. Then, instead of moving straight up the proverbial ladder, she moved laterally and spent time learning everything she could about turbine components and subsystems, making her a stronger engineer with more informed decision-making skills. So when a Chief Project Engineer position unexpectedly became available, she was perfectly positioned with the technical foundation in controls, turbines, and project management as well was the necessary soft skills like leadership and team management.

Bell 407 helicopters that use the M250 engines.

In her role as Chief Project Engineer, Tiffany serves as the technical authority for the M250 engine, defining engine accomplishments and attributes, serving as the point of contact with customers, ensuring cost and schedule targets, and interfacing with the FAA and foreign and military airworthiness authorities on safety reliability, and certification. M250 engines are used to transport workers to and from oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. They are used to lift huge logs out of the forest instead of cutting roads through the trees. Rolls-Royce helicopters using M250 engines allow electrical linemen to be lowered onto high power lines. They give vacationers a birds eye view of the volcanos of Hawaii, the Smoky Mountains, and the Grand Canyon. They even give Indianapolis commuters an idea of how badly traffic is backed up on I-69 in the mornings via WTHR Channel 13's helicopters. Tiffany's M250 supports products that transport the critically injured to hospitals around the nation and protect U.S. soldiers and sailors around the world. The range of uses and magnitude of their impact make the products she oversees simply fascinating.

A Kiowa Warrior helicopter that uses an M250 engine.

As a long-time member and 2016-2017 President of Women & Hi Tech, Tiffany has continued to be an engaged role model for women in STEM fields. She concedes that the gender-related drop in self confidence that females face in school often continues into their careers, but encourages women to surround themselves with supportive friends, family, and coworkers. Support can be found in many forms; organizations like Women & Hi Tech provide opportunities to network with other confident successful women and blogs like this one showcase the highly technical and exciting roles women have in the community.

INDIANAPOLIS, November 10, 2016 – Teachers help children decide their career paths long before either is focused on it by recognizing aptitudes and encouraging them to focus their studies accordingly. But, if the teachers don’t know the array of career possibilities, it’s impossible for them to give every student the best guidance possible. Local tech leaders’ worry over this issue has led to the creation of a new Indianapolis initiative – Teacher TechConnect.

“Only by working together can businesses and educators solve the technology talent gap problem,” said Jeff Ton, Bluelock executive vice president of Product and Service Development. “The Teacher TechConnect collaboration breaks down the wall between business and the classroom and creates an ongoing, mutually beneficial conversation to fill the talent pipeline with qualified candidates.”

From 2009 to mid-2015, the U.S. high-tech software and services job sector outpaced all other sectors, growing by more than 730,000 jobs, or 34.4 percent, according to a 2016 CBRE Research survey. Central Indiana ranked 8th in terms of this job growth, at 18 percent.

Indiana workforce experts predict demand for tech employees will continue to exceed supply. The region is projected to add at least 51,500 tech jobs by 2025, but schools are slated to produce only half of the needed credentials and degrees to fill those jobs. At the elementary and secondary school level, technology jobs are currently being created faster than they can be integrated into school curricula. Workforce experts say 65 percent of today’s schoolchildren will be employed in jobs that have yet to be created. Many of these jobs will be in the technology sector.

Ton said it wasn’t difficult for Bluelock, a disaster recovery services provider, to find partners for Teacher TechConnect. Angie’s List, TechPoint Foundation for Youth, Pike High School and others were quick to sign on for the event, as well as assist in execution, as the initiative will subsequently benefit employers throughout the state.

Joe Hand of Interactive Intelligence, former Mayor Greg Ballard, and Warren Lenard of Finish Line were three of the panelists.

“We’ve seen a huge shift from the days when I was in school and jobs with a math, science or computer-focus seemed to be for the guys,” said Robin Fleming, Angie’s List senior vice president of Technology. “One problem we’re facing now in the tech industry is that tech is viewed as a place mostly for coders. Many companies need to fill tech jobs that call for broader skills – UX design, data management experts, DevOps, product management, agile scrum masters, technical project managers and more, so we need to make sure teachers and students know that.”

Nathanial Jones, superintendent of the Metropolitan School District of Pike Township, said he was eager for Pike High School to be the initiative’s first setting and predicted other area schools will want to hold their own Teacher TechConnect gatherings.

“Teachers want to help their students reach their potential, regardless of whether it’s a tech or a non-tech future,” he said. “Our staff was quick to embrace this opportunity to expand their knowledge base and we were thrilled to be able to make it happen for them.”

Teachers from Pike Township enjoyed an appetizer buffet at the event before the panelists began speaking.

Dozens of teachers from Pike elementary and secondary schools joined tech company and community leaders for the three-hour event at the Pike High School cafeteria. Teachers who want to dive deeper into tech were invited to enroll in a shadow program that will bring teachers in for a day at local tech companies so they get a closer look at what goes on inside those innovative walls.

TechPoint Foundation for Youth, a nonprofit focused on increasing access to STEM learning opportunities for K-12 students, will house a Teacher TechConnect resource page to connect teachers to opportunities for themselves and their students.

“Central Indiana is rightly being seen as a tech hub, but we have to act now to ensure Hoosiers will be the ones filling the jobs that come along with this emergence of tech companies,” said former Mayor Greg Ballard, who took part. “The array of jobs is staggering – everything from the technical things like coding and software development to soft skills that focus on sales, project management and communicating with others about what these products and tech advances mean.”

Karen Jung, president of Nextech, a nonprofit focused on bringing tech into school classrooms, said teachers are interested in adjusting their curriculum but want to know more about what the companies’ workforces actually do. Nextech will offer a summer course for teachers this summer in addition to a course for students to learn.

“We hope our efforts will include curriculum additions that any school can adopt, even in the elementary schools,” Jung said.

Among the leaders taking part:

Greg Ballard, former Mayor of Indianapolis and University of Indianapolis Visiting Fellow of the Institute for Civic Leadership & Mayoral Archive

VEX robotics competition season is officially underway! Events are taking place around the state nearly every weekend between now and February 2017, giving robotics teams the opportunity to collaborate and develop their skills in a competitive environment.

South Newton VEX IQ team poses for a team picture. Even though they didn't feel ready for their first competition, the event taught the team so much and really brought them together!

We understand registering for that first competition can be a little unnerving. With almost 350 brand new Indiana teams working towards competing for the very first time, we asked one new coach to share her team’s experience at the October 29th Crown Point VEX IQ Tournament. Read Ms. Janice Skinner’s thoughts below about her South Newton elementary team’s first ever competition and why she’s so glad she was encouraged to let go of her uncertainty and give her students the opportunity to compete!

How many students do you have on your team?

13 students from grades 3rd - 5th grade

Do you coach alone or do you have help? Did you have former robotics experience?

I am currently the only coach. I had no previous knowledge of robots. However, not knowing all of the answers has turned out to be really beneficial, as the students are forced to learn and persevere when there are challenges. It really makes them take initiative and ownership when they are asked to find the answer themselves.

How many practices did you have prior to your competition?

We began practicing in mid-September, working towards the October 29th competition that I had signed us up for. We did get about 6 weeks of practice in, but by the time the competition got here, we still weren’t sure we were ready...

What concerns did you have going into the competition?

I actually emailed the Event Partner to tell her that I had decided we were only going to come and watch instead of participate, as I was afraid we would ruin the competition because we were not ready. Fortunately, the Event Partner encouraged me to participate, reminding me that the outcome of the scores would not matter, the event itself would be a great learning experience, and that we were all in it together. She made me feel so much better and I’m so glad I decided to go through with it.

What are some things that surprised you about the competition?

There were so many. We never once felt like we didn’t belong. There was so much camaraderie amongst all of the students. Even though all kids and teachers were busy, they still found time to stop and help one another. I learned so much from speaking to other teachers and students. We are hooked!

What will you do in preparation for your next competition?

Having the field and having a second robot is going to be extremely helpful with a group of 13 students. Knowing exactly the measurements and dimensions of the field will allow the team to better plan and strategize. I’ve found it’s really beneficial to be certain every student has a role; for example, Scorekeeper, Designer, Social Media, Driver, Builder, Driver Schedule Manager, etc.

What did the students like best about the competition?

Getting to work with students from other teams that they otherwise had never met or known. Figuring out how to communicate and work together as a team. Watching other teams compete helped expose the students to new strategies and designs that they had not considered. Having fun while working hard!

What advice would you give to other new coaches around the state?

Regardless of feeling like you may not be ready, register for an event and give your students the opportunity to experience a competition! You won’t regret it.

We hope this was helpful for all of you out there who are feeling nervous about registering for, or attending, an upcoming competition. Remember, scores and standings are secondary to the values your students will gain through collaborating as a team and being exposed to other teams around the state!

Ms. Janice Skinner teaches at South Newton Elementary and was awarded with a State Robotics Grant through TechPoint Foundation for Youth in Summer 2016. To learn more about the State Robotics Initiative, visit www.techpointyouth.org/robots/

If you are interested in sharing your story, please email us at robotgrant@techpointyouth.org.